Significantly, the framework provides an overarching
agreement in which AfricaRice, CIAT, and IRRI will collaborate in the GRiSP
program for the first time, GRiSP Director Bas Bouman explained. As
outlined in the agreement, the three centers will collaborate and coordinate
their rice research agendas as laid out in GRiSP. But each center takes a primary leadership role
for overall research and development strategy and other GRiSP-related
activities at a continental level: AfricaRice for Africa, CIAT for Latin America
and the Caribbean, and IRRI for Asia.

Roy-Macauley intimated the importance of a partnership framework—and
a guiding document—on how the centers can work together not only on one project
but on all projects and take opportunities where the center can respond with
common objectives."We need to put our strengths together,” he said.
“We need to be very, very innovative about the type of partnership that we're
putting together, and that's exactly what we're doing. “When you have ideas,
you have people thinking, and you need to bring others along with you. I think the framework agreement is a tool that helps you understand where you want to
go."

"GRiSP has actually brought AfricaRice and IRRI closer together as partners,"Roy-Macauley added. "Many acknowledge that GRiSP has played a major role in
engaging our scientists in a form of partnership. That's why we're thinking of
improving it. Next week, for example, several
IRRI scientists will attend the AfricaRice Science Week, where they do joint
planning with our scientists. This is new and quite important."

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